Food Minia

This is a blog post from five years ago, but with Thanksgiving on Thursday, many of you might need a refresher on how to brine and roast a turkey: It's almost that time folks. Are you ready to roast that big bird or are you running from the task quicker than you can say turkey trot?  To all of you with trepidation in your soul at the thought of tackling this job, fear not -- I have one word to help you achieve success -- and it rhymes with  fine . No, it's not  wine  -- although a glass of chardonnay or pinot noir for the cook never hurts. The word folks is  brine . Since the first time I brined a turkey years ago, I have never looked back. It's a fail-proof way to ensure a moist, flavorful turkey, even if you forget to baste it and even if you roast it a little longer than required.   Mix salt, sugar, herbs and spices with water and bring to a boil. Place a thawed turkey into a 5-gallon container that's been lined with a plastic bag. Dump the brining mixt...

Citrus Chinese Spiced Turkey This is the best turkey recipe ever!  Well at least in my opinion. Possibly even better than my Photastic Vietnamese Turkey recipe .  This turkey was so juicy and tender.  There is a lot of prep work but you will end up with an amazing turkey that your guests will rave about.  I started off with a Citrus Chinese spiced brine and glazed the turkey with a hoisin glaze.  Ingredients: 1(16-20-pound) fresh turkey, rinsed & patted dry, with neck & giblets reserved for stock.  For the Chinese Spiced Brine: 12 cups (3/4 to 1 gallon) apple cider 1 cup kosher salt 6 cloves garlic, minced 6 whole bay leaves 8 whole star anise pods 3 Tablespoons whole black peppercorns 1 Tablespoon allspice berries 1 Tablespoon Chinese 5 spice powder 3 4-inch cinnamon sticks 12 cups (3/4 to 1 gallon) chilled water For the Citrus Onion Aromatics: 2 large oranges, cut into wedges with rind intact 2 large lemons, cut into wedges with rind intact 2 lim...